Disclaimer: No, I don't own the boys and girls of Bleach. Would be nice though...

A/N: Hi! I bet you didn't see this coming. Yep, two posts at once. Since I had this ready...

Again, HAPPY B-DAY KYRIAL HALCORYN! Here's the second shot; from Chad.

It should be noted that I originally planned to put all the shots in chronological order, but that fell flat as I don't really know who to use next. Maybe Yoruichi, but how? So...I'll just do from now on as the bunny obliges.

-start-

Unspoken
Chad – Pride

Sado "Chad" Yasutora is no fool. His looks and attitude might fool others into thinking he is slow and dumb, though also immensely strong, but that is far from the truth.

(before Ishida, he had the second highest marks of Ichigo's group, if one counted Inoue by proxy of her close friendship with Tatsuki)

And Chad knows Ichigo. Had known him for a long time, not as long as Tatsuki of course, but sometimes he knows him better. Tatsuki in the end knows him better as the child not the teenager, which Chad is more familiar with.

And Ichigo has layers.

It's not always evident, as Ichigo is conscious of his image even though he denies it, but Ichigo is more than a punk. He's smart and more sensitive than he lets on. He just finds it easier to not pry into others business and when he does, he has a tendency to be very blunt about it.

He also is more cultured. His family are the only other people to know he secretly has a collection of classic literature hidden at home.

(Chad only knows because he accidentally saw them while studying at Ichigo's place. He never mentions it to him and pretends to have never saw the well worn and loved books in both Japanese and English. Instead, he pretends to focus more on the shounen manga.)

Ichigo cares about people. He is rough about it and tends to come across as awkward, but he does care. His pride just keeps getting in the way.

Just like it does for Ishida.

The strange, cold boy immediately casts a gloomy shadow over their lunch. Ichigo glares Keigo into babbling some mixed up story to lighten it, but Chad doesn't listen. Instead, he looks at Ishida's bandaged hands (remembering seeing from a distance that Ichigo was in danger and, for once, he wasn't able to back him – and then Ishida saving him. Just for that, will Chad except Ishida with no questions) and notices Ichigo is looking as well.

There is something in his eyes that is...surprisingly soft. Then Ishida snaps at him and he snaps back, and it's long gone.

Then, as lunch ends and Ishida leaves, he glances at Ichigo, a strange emotion in his blue eyes.

And Chad suddenly sees a future – a future with a rough path, with dead ends and U-turns, but a future nonetheless. A good one.

He gives a secret smile and heads to class, as usual keeping his thoughts to himself.

Their pride won't let them say it for real, but they still manage to get it across fine.

"Are you really okay?"

"Of course I am. Thanks, though."

-tbc-

A/N: You know the drill – review! I'd love it if you'd review each chapter! That way you can tell me about each one in the right spot.

And you get magic ice cream for this chapter, which you don't get for the previous chapter. There, reason enough to review twice!

~Love Psycho